The companies letting staff work from home more often than public servants

Some of Melbourne’s biggest private employers, including NAB, Westpac and Origin Energy, still only ask staff to come into the office two days a week — less than public servants.

Some of the biggest private employers in Melbourne’s CBD only require their staff to be in the office two days a week – less than the Victorian public service.

Major banks NAB and Westpac, along with energy company Origin had a minimum in-office quota for staff at two days per week, while ANZ said staff must be in the office 50 per cent of the time while major consulting firms Deloitte and PwC dont’t monitor where their employees worked from.

The Victorian public service has a default minimum of three days a week in the office for its employees.

Both the Victorian government and the City of Melbourne refused to answer how many of its staff had work from home arrangements versus how many were in the office five days per week.

The HESTA superfund also refused to respond to the Herald Sun.

NAB only requires its staff to be in the office two to three days a week – except for senior leaders, who are expected in the office five days per week.

NAB only requires its staff to be in the office two to three days a week. Picture: Britta Campion

“NAB is a hybrid workplace, giving employees the flexibility to do their job in a way that is good for them and our customers,” NAB Group CEO Andrew Irvine said.

“As culture carriers of the organisation, our most senior leaders are expected to be with customers or in the office.”

More than 2000 Westpac employees work from its 150 Collins St office at least two to three days per week “depending on their role and division”.

ANZ, meanwhile, expects its staff to be in its Melbourne office at least 50 per cent of the time.

Origin requires staff in the office two days a week. Picture: Bloomberg

“Around 14,000 employees operate from our Melbourne CBD offices, with many choosing to work from the office consistently,” an ANZ spokeswoman said.

Meanwhile, energy company AusNet requires its workforce onsite more than many of the major banks, with a spokeswoman saying around 1100 staff work from the CBD, and its offices are “fully utilised” four days per week.

Origin workers are told to come into the city at least two days per week, but from July 1, that expectation will increase to three days and by March next year that would be increased again to four days.

A Deloitte spokeswoman said the major consulting firm “does not monitor the locations” of employees.

More than 2000 Westpac employees work from its 150 Collins St office at least two to three days per week. Picture: Simon Bullard

“We do measure overall office usage primarily for understanding space usage and sustainability targets,” she added.

She, however, said “clear guidance” was provided to staff about the importance of in-person connection and building relationships with clients and teams.

PwC said it also didn’t have onsite mandates but found its Melbourne office attendance rates hover around 85 per cent, with Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays the most popular days to work in the city.

An Australian Retirement Trust spokesman said the company did not mandate days in the office for its 250 Melbourne-based workers but most worked on-site between two and three days per week.

Victorian Chamber of Commerce chief executive Paul Guerra says there are clear advantages to working from the office. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Paul Guerra said there are clear advantages to working from the office.

“If we want to be part of a community, we have to input into that community,” he said.

“Whether that’s three, four or five days, that’s up to the organisation and the individual, but we need to look at flexibility differently. You may do five days in the office, but you may not necessarily do 9-5.”

A government spokeswoman said the Victorian Public Service’s default position is three days a week in the office, but said it was the responsibility of each individual department and agency to monitor employee turnout.

“We know that flexibility in the workplace helps more women stay in work and more women in the workforce is better for everyone,” she said.

An opposition spokesman said their entire team worked on-site five days a week.

“None of our team work from home,” he said.